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Food supply target of new Occupy movement

A new Occupy movement led by the Rainforest Action Networkhopes to put new light on our food supply.

It makes me sad that this seems to be something of interest in our world, while 16,000 children die each day from hunger related causes.  Why do these people with all of this energy, funds and time not volunteer to organize a local food pantry.  Why do they not organize to take food with GMO's (oh my) and take them to underdeveloped countries where they would be happy to have GMO's? 

This week organizers of the Occupy Our Food Supply day prompted supporters to rally against large agribusiness corporations, including Cargill, Monsanto, ADM and DuPont.  According to a commentary in the Huffington Post  written by musician Willie Nelson and author Anna Lappé, the movement looks at the role of these agribusinesses in our food supply.

Willie Nelson I will never pay for another ticket to one of your concerts.  OK, I really decided I wouldn't buy another ticket the last time I went to your concert and you were to incoherent to make it through your songs. You are a disappointment to farmers and ranchers everywhere.

“Today, three companies process more than 70 percent of all U.S. beef, Tyson, Cargill and JBS,” Nelson and Lappé wrote.  “More than 90 percent of soybean seeds and 80 percent of corn seeds used in the United States are sold by just one company: Monsanto. Four companies are responsible for up to 90 percent of the global trade in grain. And one in four food dollars is spent at Walmart.

I have a few things to say about large businesses.  Until we live in a country that gives opportunity and supports the growth of small businesses, large business will continue to grow and have most of the market share.  I will never disapprove of legitimate successful businesses that prosper.  In fact I dream of the day Jake and I have that same success.

As part of the day of action, Occupy Our Food Supply protesters planned to create community gardens in unused bank-owned lots, host seed exchanges in front of stock exchanges, label products on grocery store shelves that have genetically engineered ingredients, build community alliances to support locally-owned grocery stores, and protest Monsanto and Cargill.

These ideas are outlandish, planning community gardens on someone elses land.  Don't we all wish we could farm like that.  The idea of seed exchanges with seed that somehow do not link back to Monsanto or Cargill, seems almost impossible.  Labeling products that you haven't bought on grocery store shelves. Is that legal?  Locally-owned grocery stores are not a new thing.  Have you been to rural America? 

Notable supporters of the movement include Food Inc.’s Robert Kenner, actor Woody Harrelson, Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva and authors Michael Pollan, Raj Patel, Gary Paul Nabhan, and Marion Nestle.